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Beautiful, Somewhat Tragic Love Story

Oh, how I wish I would've finished this so much sooner. Time of Fever was so incredibly beautiful, captivated me in so many ways, and I am completely in awe of these two characters. What a beautiful, somewhat tragic piece of a love story. And still, unfortunately, it will not be getting a 10 out of 10 from me.

Let's Dive In.

Midway through the series, and possibly up until the last episode, I was going to give this 10 stars, hand down. One things is most important to me than anything else and that is YEARNING. These two actors did above stellar, the best I've see so far in 2025. The way my heart flutter when they looked at each other, the idiot that is Hotae that had no idea what he was doing, the brave, yet cowardice Donghee too afraid of his feelings and everything in between to be open. I think one of my favorite parts was that Donghee want Hotae to call him brother so bad, and yet, Hotae even then knew something wasn't the same. I loved how not much is said about the eternal meaning of anything, and we as the audience get to interpret everything. While there was so much to unpack here, one of the more frustrating things in the world was Donghee and his flaws which is why I can't give this a 10/10.

Donghee, oh, Donghee, how absolutely more irritable can you get? Donghee had planned to stay in his hometown for college until things with Hotae had occurred. He does so because he feels like everyone would be happier with that decision. Now, let's just break this down. Who was the one who asked to kiss? Who was the one that initiated the second kiss? Hotae. So, it almost seems silly that the first thing on Donghee's mind is "oh, I'm the problem." So infuriating. And then, we have a time jump. I know the implication of that is because this couple's story is also told in Unintentional Love Story, but how absolutely aggravating was that ending.

Moving on, Hotae as a character wasn't brilliant either, his flaw was his inability to decipher his feelings for Hotae fast enough, and the dumb, quick relationships he got into just to avoid his feelings. However, you can see the moment something switches in him, except Donghee, of course, doesn't see it. I hate when writer's make character stupid and incompetent in favor of the plot. Donghee is smart, Donghee would quickly be able to understand why Hotae asked to teach him how to kiss if they didn't want to ruin his character in favor of a seemingly long time apart.

Anyways, other than that, I seriously loved this series. The yearning in this had me to my knees, when they finally kiss it's like a light switch goes off, and it was perfect.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - So, so entertaining. I loved everything about it. Just a few writing choices was annoying, but overall, this was perfection.

Acting: 10/10 - PERFECT. I rarely give perfect scores for acting, but I mean, everyone did great, especially the leads.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 9/10 - heavily recommend. Definitely up there with one of the best K-BLs. But, it is pretty tragic in its one way, so I might not recommend it for all.

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Skimmed

Majority of this watch for me was skimming through the episodes after able episode 4-5 to find out what even is the reason for a Pit Babe Season 2, so really, take my review with a grain of salt.

Let's Dive In.

Nothing what I was expecting it to be. And yes, in a bad way. So many twist and turns, so many characters to remember, and not enough developing really anything. I was utterly bored with this series but about episode 5, and skimmed through the majority of the rest. It took me almost a month to even remember I had started this series in the first place. I was really here for Sonic and North, and maybe to see a bit of Jeff and Alan, but I just feel like I didn't get anything worthwhile.

The points this show made:
- Way is not Way
- Evil Daddy still being evil
- SEX.
- New Alpha character that looks like a 15 year old.
- SEX>>>>>

Ratings:

Story: 5.5/10 - Skimmed through so I didn't get much of the story. But it was enough to be bored. So many different things were happening in this season that I simply didn't care for. Sonic and North kissed and that's all I really needed.

Acting: 8/10 - Fine.

Music: 5/10 - Didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 2/10 - Just skim through for the NC scenes cause there is literally no plot worth watching.

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Nostalgic, and BAS !

I loved seeing Bas, I feel like I haven't seen him in forever. It was mostly why I watched, and I was pleasantly surprised. This is nothing new, if anything, it takes a trip back to 2018, but I love it for all the nostalgia it brought. Still can't ingore that it's nothing new nor special.

Let's Dive In.

A lot of people have already described this BL as kind of being like a little time-machine to the way BL use to be 6-7 years ago. I got a lot of My Engineer, Love By Chance, 2 Moons vibes ( I swear it's not just Bas, lol). This is an extremely generic Uni BL that is honestly pretty forgettable, but some of the characters are endearing and so are Pond and Maxky when they're shirtless.

Hill and Ter are pretty boring for me. I think I liked them at a certain point, but their story felt all over the place and then a little placid in some parts. Seeing Pond shirtless also didn't hurt.

What really had me seated was Jo and North. I loved their story in the beginning, and then it loses itself a little once they start figuring out their relationship, but eventually picks itself up again. Jo is extremely toxic and their relationship is almost built off of the fear that North has of him if he doesn't do everything right. Either way, Maxky is a beautiful specimen with the prettiest lips, and I liked seeing him shirtless too.

I kinda started skipping after episode 12 or so. Basically skimmed through the rest and still got the gist. They tease this third couple, but they go absolutely no where. Sammy was in this. Looks so very different (I'm not sure if it's in a good or bad way yet...).

Overall, this BL was full of a bunch of irrelevant beautiful characters, and the plots are full of very small, un-consequential conflicts. But it's cute, it's watchable, and lots of shirtless scenes.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10 - I liked Ter's and Hill's story about their pasts. That's kind of it. Great kissing/NC scenes me thinks.

Acting: 8/10 - some are good, others not so much. Pond is definitely one of their best actor, with Earth and Bas up there too. Maxky is good, but he's prettier than his acting unfortunately. Everyone else is just mediocre.

Music: 5/10 - didn't pay attention to it, so it wasn't distracting at least.

Recommendation Value: 4/10 - ehh. It's okay, watch something else. This is also very extremely long for no reason, so skip, skip, skip! But Maxky and Pond are beautiful shirtless, so actually, you should watch this.

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So Much Wasted Potential

I think I will never understand the point of doing a crossover series, and then make it so very mediocre. I mean, there's so much to explore with two different countries coming together, but like most of them, this series did just that: solidifies on the expectations, and then completely ruins it.

Let's Dive In.

This series could've been good, but they waste it on this weird expectation that we're suppose to think it's normal for one character to speak Thai, and the other Korean. Now, let's just say that between the leads, this works, but you're telling me when Jay goes to speak to other Korean people, they understand perfectly what he's saying? No, of course not. I don't know why we couldn't have gotten a Thai actor that speaks Korean, or a Korean actor that speaks Thai. Either way would've worked best than us just having to kind of go with the flow.

But, after a few episodes, you kind of forget about it. Now, looking into the plot, this seemed to be such a cutesy little friends to lovers story. No, it's so much more than that. We then end up in this murder-mystery plot that is so anticlimatiac. It's set up in the beginning of the series, but it doesn't fit at all within the genre of this BL. It's so fun and dainty and cute, and then all of the sudden the characters are running around fending for their life. I can't take any of it seriously.

Moving onto the leads, they do well within their respected roles. As a couple, they falter. Not only do they get together mid-series, but then they do... nothing. We get a couple kisses here and there, a hand-holding scene, and that's pretty much it. It was very underwhelming.

The best thing about this series is that it is a very easy watch. Took me a day to watch all of it which is why I finished it, because why not? Most of the characters are very attractive, especially Jinuk, who I wish has his shirt off more often.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10: if they wanted to do the murder mystery, I wish they would've made this series more grittier. Not a lot of development between the leads, even as a couple. Some parts i did enjoy, so it won't get too bad a grade.

Acting: 8/10 - Good. No one did just an amazing job, everyone did good and it was fine.

Music: 6/10 - I know most music is repetitive, but I just remember the song playing non-stop. Kind of annoying.

Recommendation Value: 2/10 - No. It's okay. And I say that knowing full well Jinuk takes his shirt off and mesmerizes me.

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So Trippy, So Sickly, and I Liked it!

I swear I have never heard anything about this BL until recently. It must've been swept under the rug, cause as soon as I got to this, I was more then shell-shocked at how well this was produced and executed. It is one of Beyond Cloud's most underrated series, that's for sure. But, I can understand it's low audience, just cause it is a step outside the boundaries of what normal Thai BL watchers might be use to, and that's that this is extremely gory, thrown in with some horror and thriller elements that make it even worse (better). Dead Friend Forever is a lot less BL than it it is gore and horror, and I really liked it!

Let's Dive In.

I think the trickiest thing to keep up with is the abundance of characters, all with their own story and own conflicts. It gets little better to differentiate them after a few episodes, but it takes a second, for sure. But, the main focus is on the mysterious disappearance/death of Barcode's character, Non. Within that plot comes a bunch of other sub plots and lots of complex twist and turns that make the story so intricate. I think my favorite story to learn about was Tee's, what an interesting character, and his actor did such a good job.

This has its moments of draggy-ness, I think the worst was the beginning during their time at the cabin, and trying to figure out what was going on and and all the odd things happening. Once Barcode's character enters, the story definitely gets more interesting.

This was much more than just a BL, and I say that because this is a genuine thriller/horror series that happens to have gay characters. Never is their sexualities touched on, or any of the normal stuff most BLs go through. There was fear, and deaths, and mysteries along with the occasional kiss/NC scene. And while we're on the topic, wow, I was not expecting much, mostly cause they were high schoolers, but geez, they delivered. I wasn't ready to see my baby Barcode's character get groomed in this, nor was I even ready to see him have a kiss scene. but I guess we're here.

Overall, I like this, the production was gorgeous, I loved how naturally tan and pretty everyone was. The horror and fear factor is definitely there, and this served its purpose of trying to deliver that perfectly. I think you have to be particularly interested in the spooky aspects to even want to watch this, but I promise, it's definitely worth it.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - spectacular story. So many twist and turns you don't see coming, and it's excellent. The ending is a little predictable, but other than that, I really liked this.

Acting: 9/10 - Everyone knocked it out the park. Actors were very versatile in their performance, going from sweet, to mean, to sad, to an absolute lunatic. I think for me, Ta, JJay, Barcode, and Jet put on the best performances.

Music: 7/10 - I didn't pay attention to it, but Jeff is there, so it's a lil higher than normal.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - I don't think I'd just recommend this to anyone, but I think it's different in terms of what we're use to, so go for it! And also, while Mr. Keng is a discussing pig that grooms Non, he does look beautiful shirtless (I'm shallow, sorry).

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Little K-BL Gem

Wow, was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. A little gem in the pool of BLs we've seen, and I'm glad I finally crossed it off my list. It also helped me get out of a little case of "BL-Block" which I get very often, and I'm grateful to any series that can dig me out of the hole I'm in.

Let's Dive In.

There's nothing particularly unique or unordinary about this series, but i think what made it so good for me was the acting. Top-notch talent, for sure. Especially the two playing the main leads, I loved them dearly. In a weird way, this felt very Thai BL-esque. That might've been just a me thing, but i felt like at some points, the story followed the same kind of plot and tropey-like scenarios that most generic Thai BLs have, whilst still feeling true to itself. The plot never swayed and it didn't feel messy or too complex, but stuck to the main plot line including the side couple.

Talking about the side couple, that had so much depth, and even though their relationship had a conclusion, it was a little anti-climatic with the New Year's hug instead of kiss at the end. Like... just kiss??

The main couple were super cute. I like Kisub's character development, and I really enjoyed their story. They were pretty slow burn, and I enjoy me a slow-burn, so they were everything I could ask for. Also, some relatively nice kissing scenes for a K-BL.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10: enjoyed it throughout, didn't find anything boring or tedious. Side couple could've had a better ending

Acting: 9/10: Really good! It's what made this series so likeable.

Music: 7/10: The songs they played in this were actually really good. Helped fit the vibe really well.

Recommendation Value: 8/10: 100% would recommend. Not the best K-BL series I've seen, but if someone wants lighthearted and fluffy, I'd give them this. Also, Kisub looks way too hot with straightened hair (just thought I throw that in here).

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A Little Unrealistic, but Good!

I have tons of thoughts when it comes to my feelings about this series. When I initially tried watching this series, it was really hard for me to get through. I ended up putting it on hold for a few months, and now I've decided to give it another chance. It's easy to see why this series is so loved, but I cannot fathom the idea of this unrealistic lifestyle receiving little to zero backlash from the other characters about their relationship.

Let's Dive In.

Again, I'll reiterate that it took me a while to get through the series. During my initial watch, I realized the kind of relationship Qian and Yuan had and were going to end up having. This is also coming from someone who enjoys forbidden romances and age gaps, btw, but still, something about this steered me the wrong way. But, I went back to watch it, and I ended up really liking it.

The only reason this relationship can make sense is because of the delicacy and intricateness that the writers had for Yuan's character. His development is probably some of the best I've seen in a BL this year. He goes from being this overly-obsessive, slightly conniving, extremely immature high schooler to then becoming more firm and direct and evolved after college (still has some weird habits, but still better than before). I think had Qian been okay with Yuan's feelings before Yuan's growth, this series wouldn't have nearly received as much love and attention as it did. But I think Qian at that time, sat in his grief about Yuan being gone and realized that he meant something more, although not quite ready to rip the bandaid off. I was 100 percent against their getting together during the first half of this cause it was too much of a power imbalance, and the writers did a fantastic job of waiting until we saw that growth and development in Yuan before even allowing Qian to contemplate his feelings.

Now, the only part that is disbelieving is the people around them being okay with their new relationship. You're telling me that they were completely okay with Qian calling Yuan his "brother" to one day calling him his "boyfriend"...? Yeah, no. I wanted a lot more backlash and repercussions from those around them, and we simply don't get that. If anything, San Pang is against it in the beginning, but starts to understand in the end, which is okay considering he's also seeing Yuan's growth and has been there with the family since forever. However, the writers completely disregard this ginormous, glaring problem, and it's way too unrealistic.

In the end, their relationship is a little more justifiable, but still, I kind of wished they didn't end up together. It's a sticky type of relationship, one that I hate people are justifying because they aren't "blood-related" even though a familial relationship like theirs is a lot more complicated than that. I think Qian being there to help Yuan get over his crush would've been better than him just allowing it to happen.

On the other hand, I liked the other characters a lot, especially the sister, she was adorable. I like her relationship with Qian and Yuan, and I like that she had her own story on the side.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Complex, flowed easily, super engaging. However, some of it is unrealistic, but it does so well at character development that I'm (almost) okay with giving the score a high rating.

Acting: 8.5/10 - Acting was good! But Yuan stayed in most of a stoic type of behavior (other than one or two scenes), but. Qian does great as the stubborn yet caring older brother. All the supporting actors did well too.

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay it any attention.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Not necessarily for everyone, and I mostly liked the storytelling than the actual BL aspect. But both leads have abs and big arms that you see throughout the series, so honestly, go for it!

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Wonderfully Entertaining

I'm so happy that I decided against my better judgment and decided to watch this series because in the end, I actually really liked it. Some parts give you a run for your money, and others I'm not so sure about, but overall, this series has more ups than downs, and tells a story interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Let's Dive In.

So the premise is basically that Kram loses the love of his life in his own world, and accidentally falls into some mystic pond that takes him to another alternative world. In this other world, he tries to save Phupha, the person he used to love but ends up falling for Tai, another male in this world that in Kram's world, was actually a monster. I'll be honest, the synopsis on MDL made this sound incredibly confusing, so I was worried going into this that I would be lost, but you won't. The story is told in great detail and in such complexity that it's easy to keep up. However, there are some parts that feel like something's been left out, or perhaps the story wasn't put together as best as it could be to be told accurately for a complete understanding. Some of the scenes cut weirdly, so sometimes I wasn't sure if we were seeing our Kram or Kram 2.0, same with a couple of continuity errors that draw you out from the series. But, even with that, I still think they handled it as best as they could, and did a wonderful job at showing us a good story.

The production budget must've been out the roof, because it had some amazing locations, some of the best makeup work I've seen in a Thai BL, and a great, high-skilled list of actors. I think that's what makes this series so great. I loved how they made Kram look while he was sick, the bruises and scars and blood. All of it was so good.

Now, moving on to the relationships in this series. I love pining, it's one of my favorite tropes, and we see it a lot here with Tai from the alternative world. They throw in great hints that lead the audience to come to the understanding that Tai loved Kram from his world before he passed away. Then, once Kram realizes this, he gains other Kram's memories, and starts to fall for Tai as well. While we do have a love triangle here, it's not much of a love triangle since you know who Kram will end up with, but I still like the effort they put behind Phupha realizing that he actually really likes Kram. The only real nitpick I had with this couple is that there's something missing between Tai and Kram in their initial getting-together. I wish there was a scene or two more of us seeing Kram falling for Tai, or Tai hinting that he has feelings, something more than just Kram gaining back these memories that aren't his. But like always, I'm shallow when it comes to height differences, and boy, do Nat and Max do it for me each time. Also, some of the best NC scenes in BL, and I don't say that because they were naked and we saw everything (and I mean everything), but because there was so much love poured into the way it was acted out, and you can tell it was genuine and organic. Great job to those two.

The side couple, well, I didn't really care much for them. I'm not an enemies-to-lovers kind of person, so initially, this didn't draw me as it might've for others. But I do love these small moments we get when we see both of them breaking down the walls they built to be vulnerable and open. Again, such a good NC scene, and so out of the blue too. I just can't believe the amount of detail this series goes into to show us this amount of depth, in these scenes and in others.

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10 - Some parts are harder to understand than others, but overall, the story was complex and deep, and lots of character development happened, and I loved it.

Acting: 9/10 - I think Nat's acting has improved greatly, and this series is a testimony to that, however, there are still certain scenes that his acting just doesn't reach all the way for me. Max does a good job, and so does the rest of the supporting cast.

Music: 8/10 - Okay, I don't usually pay attention to the music, but the instrumentals to this series are quite literally stuck in my head.

Recommendation Value: 7/10 - Abolsute jaw-dropping series that I had low expectations of, but it seriously surprised me in all departments. It is quite heavy in plot, but the men are beautiful, the NC scenes are breathtaking, and it's a series worth watching.

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Went from Amazing to Great to Just Good

In the first couple of episodes, I was immediately hooked on the story. Toki, a delinquent falls for his PE teacher who is everything opposite, and it starts the tale of a wild, hilarious, and rather touching romance story. I loved this until I didn't, and for a minute there, I was assuming this might be my top J-BL of the year, but that has now been debunked.

Let's Dive In.

Starting off, I was a little thrown off by the topic of the plot. A high schooler falls for his PE teacher. I had to remember that, one, this is fiction, and two, morals of what's wrong and right are different everywhere, so having that mindset made my watch a little more bearable (but also my fave JBL of all time is Minato's Coin Laundry, and that's exactly what this series is in its own way). But the first episode until maybe the episode where we learn more about Todo and Takuya story is where everything was peaches and plums for me. And then it kind of all goes downhill from there.

I wanted to absolutely adore Toki and Sahara's relationship, but I realized that in the end, I didn't necessarily care for the "development" that we received. They make it seem like Toki helped Sahara discover himself, but that's not at all what I got from the series. If anything, Toki is extremely immature and Sahara falls for him because he's the complete opposite and gives him that breath-of-fresh-air feeling that he needs. Toki, on the other hand, is just so head over heels for this dude that he doesn't stop what he's doing for the better, but only because Sahara wants him to. This is why in the end, their relationship feels too unreasonable, even after Toki graduates.

There are some parts that hit the nail on the comedy, and while this series is heavily overexaggerated, that is probably my favorite part. Rinataro as Toki plays up the dramatics so perfectly in this, it's insane. From his facial expressions to the way he talks, to his body language, I loved all of it. But weirdly, what I think I really enjoyed most out of all the characters were the three girls that kind of followed all the guys around. Super over the top, so annoying, and in a way, I really liked it.

Ratings;

Story: 7/10 - Great until about halfway through. I honestly enjoyed Todo's and Nekoto's storylines, it added some dramatic moments, and it was honestly needed.

Acting: 9.5/10 - fantastic acting, I loved all of it. Takumi is a beautiful man and I need more of him in my life.

Music: 6/10 - didn't pay much attention to it.

Recommendation value: 7.5/10 - I feel like this series still has so much to offer, but at the same time, there's something lacking that I can't quite put my foot on. But nonetheless, Sahara is fine as fuck, so go for it.

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Literally a Hidden Gem — I Loved This !!

Okay, I love it when I find series like this that are hidden beneath the other pile of oversaturated BLs and it becomes something of its own that completely makes me fall for it. I was 100% ready to drop this series after the first episode, especially after looking at the rating and comments, but I was pleasantly surprised in the beginning and it carried out until the very last episode. I'm only upset I'm just now seeing it as it's been released since May 2023. I wish I was on that train when it was airing tbh.

Let's Dive In.

So The Promise is essentially a series about two childhood best friends who find their way back to one another after 10 years. The plot itself is pretty simple, but the execution, along with the production budget, makes this series spectacular. And if you don't know, friends to lovers is my favorite trope of all time, and if you mix a slow burn with that, it's damn near impossible for me not to love it. And oh, how I loved this series. It executed their relationship (friend-wise) so perfectly; showing those fleeting stares, those one-off comments, the small gestures. And it makes sense with everything that happens between them, with Phupha leaving and returning and not knowing how to tell his friend about his whereabouts or why he left. They did great at keeping that ambiguity from the audience as well until it's revealed, which I liked that we also didn't know until Nan knew as well. Same with Khunkhao, who was Phu's secret brother, which felt too coincidental, but I didn't hate it. Overall, they perfectly mapped out their friendship into a relationship so perfectly, and it's above all, my favorite aspect of the series.

Now, the chemistry is good, not great, but it's good. It's enough for me to be convinced that Phu really does have feelings for Nan, but I will say that once they get together, that tension between them dies and it's not as punctuated as it was before they got together. Not all of the kisses were bad, but there were some dead ones. The NC scene at the end is actually very sensual and very beautiful. Also, seeing them both topless doesn't hurt either.

The relationship between Phu and his grandmother had me in shackles. Oh, I loved it so much, the openness they both were able to have with one another without it being a deal that he likes a guy, which I'm pretty sure they innuendo that his grandmother was a lesbian/bi since she hung out with other older lgbtq people. I think her death is justified (?) enough in the series that when she does die, it doesn't feel like an irrelevant death, but something that for Phu's character specifically, needed in order for them to get across that Nan would be there for him and help guide him through it. Onto more of the smaller roles, Party was okay, I think it was irrelevant to make his character in love with Nan, but it is what it is. Giegie was super fun, I liked the comedic aspect of the series with her astrological antics and whatnot.

Now, onto some things I wasn't appreciative of. There were plenty of office scenes that could've been cut down. They drag for far too long in some episodes, and I just skip right over it because *Snooze Fest*. Same with Jo, I know he's the comedic boss who's bad at his job that everyone somehow puts up with, but I kind of wanted to see him fired, won't lie. Episode 10 was the only episode that I really didn't like. Before then, I honestly loved each episode, but the last one was the one that took down my 10/10 score. There were so many unnecessary, irrelevant conflicts that the writers dropped for no reason. Like how Nan is upset that Phu tells him to go move to his new job only for him to be okay in the next scene. Same with the bewildering, "Nan's plane disappeared" plot that was literally, like, what the fuck? And then again, resolved in the next 5 seconds. Also, I don't recall Phu explaining to Nan why he left, even after they got together, which was pretty anticlimactic.

I think this was supposed to have a season 2 (which it really doesn't need one) to go into further depth about the couple they throw in at the last minute (khunkhao and some rando getting beat up on the street), but it didn't get enough popularity within the fandom, which is kind of upsetting, cause besides all the negative stuff, this series really ate down, in my opinion.

Ratings:

Story: 8/5/10: some boring office jargon, and some really left-field writing decisions, but overall, the execution of the main leads is brilliant.

Acting: 9/10: Really good! This was Kun's (Phupha) first acting gig, and I could definitely see the minor mistakes, but he did an excellent job (also, that man is too fine). Kiak also did good, and everyone along the road did just as well.

Music: 7/10 - I actually loved the OST! it gave nostalgic vibes, so I was here for it.

Recommendation Value: 9/10 - I would highly recommend this series, especially to anybody looking for a good friends-to-lovers plot. It did such a good job, and I'm so upset this didn't get the hype it deserved, but oh well.

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City of Pure Enjyoment

Oh, I'm so surprised how much I absolutely loved this series. It's been hard for me to enjoy any Thai series outside of GMMTV, so I'm elated that I actually enjoyed this series. City of Stars was definitely not perfect, but it was such a genuine delight to watch and sit back and enjoy the series for what it was.

Let's Dive In.

City of Stars starts off with a trope that I absolutely love, a famous guy falls for a regular ole dude, and then it takes off from there. I'll admit, it takes a minute to really get into this series, just cause the first couple of episodes are only okay, while it doesn't start to get really good until the closer Fueng and Krom get. The last few episodes were ultimately the best for me. I think the structure of this keeps itself in balance with everything that it needs, while connecting you to these characters so that you actually start to enjoy them and their journey on screen.

For our main couple, I really enjoyed them more than I anticipated. They work so well, except there were a few times where I don't a hundred percent believe their relationship on screen (there are some rather awkward moments when they're looking at each other, or sometimes when they kissed they stood a mile apart lol) but for the most part, I really liked it. They had some great NC scenes and they know how to kiss, so I can't be too upset.

Oh, I loved Kor and Namsom. They didn't hook me in the beginning, but by the end, I was rooting for them so hard. The way Kor spoke to her and made her feel worthy had me in tears. Their relationship is so fragile, but in such a beautiful way that it took me by surprise how much I really enjoyed them.

On to some more nit-picky things, I kind of don't see the appeal with Fueng having fallen in love with Krom. Because his parents talked about him? And not to be mean, but there's nothing out of the ordinary about Krom, so it's a bit of a weird concept. I think it would've just worked out better if they met when Krom got back and fell in love then.

We were also teased with another side couple, but then it never advances anywhere, so that's pretty annoying. IDK if they were setting up for another BL, but we got practically no screen time between them, not even a canon.

Ratings:

Story: 8/5/10 - really good! Their build-up to dating is done so nicely and then they execute it perfectly. I also loved how they nag on some of the bigger problems in the BL industry, like the actors not being able to date outside their pairing, or when they come out and then lose brand deals, or when the entire community harps on someone for something minuscule or irrelevant. I love the portrayal of all of that, including how it can end up working out in the end.

Acting: 8.5/10 - This was Porsche's (Krom) first time acting ever and I think for what it's worth, he did an excellent job. I don't know why he went from being a dental student to an actor, but he did good. It explains now why some of his scenes can feel a bit awkward, but for the most part, he did an excellent job. Job (Fueng) did well too, and I loved seeing him shirtless, So I'll add a half point for that. Kimmon!! I missed him so much, it was so nice to see him play a somewhat serious character for once, and his partner was delightful. Everyone else also did an excellent job.

Music: 7/10 - I didn't pay much attention to it, but it wasn't distracting so that's good.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - I really liked this! Not the first I'd recommend, but out of the Thai BLs I've seen so far in 2024, this is at the top of my list. It was so well done!

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Sups Cute !

Stay By My Side had me with its delicate charm, heartwarming sweetness, and subtle humor, all woven into a pleasantly paced Taiwanese BL. However, while the experience was good, it fell just shy of greatness, meaning that it'll mostly likely fade from my memory sooner rather than later. Nevertheless, it had good qualities that made for a genuinely delightful watch.

Let's Dive In.

Stay By My Side is about a silly little college kid who plays on the basketball team and ends up being haunted by ghosts after his sister accidentally burns his talisman. He finds a guy, super suave and stoic, who helps him stop hearing the ghosts when they're together -- given the ironic title, Stay By My Side.

I liked this more for the romance than anything, but one of the bigger qualities of this was its pacing. It's 10 episodes for about 22 minutes, and it never sways from the bigger story or has any irrelevant side plots. All of it is centered on the main pairing and their relationship builds at such a nice pace, and all of their kissing looks natural and real and I really liked it.

The story is unique while also being simplistic enough with a college setting, and it sets a tone for the entire series that it's going to be fun and cute and lighthearted.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - A unique spin on a rather simple college love story. The chemistry between the leads is good; not the best I've seen out of a Tawinese BL, but it's good. All the side characters help drive the main couple together but don't have much of a story themselves.

Acting: 8.5/10 - I think they did great, but this story is rather lighthearted, so not much complex acting was needed.

Music: 6/10: didn't pay much attention to it, but it wasn't distracting.

Recommendation Value: 6/10: Ehh, I like it, but it's not the first I'd recommend. But it's a super lighthearted watch, and the kissing scenes are good, so go for it!

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Not Worth it

I only gave this series a chance cause I love Fluke and I love even more his beautiful lead partner, Judo from TMOTB who I've always found insanely attractive. However, this series was not my cup of tea, with its overly tries at being funny and just way too many side characters that could've easily been cut. I also have made multiple attempts to find english subtitles for episode 3 and beyond, but failed, so please take this review with a grain of salt seeing as I skimmed through the last four episodes.

Let's Dive In.

The first episode is probably the worst, and that's coming from somebody who had to watch most of the series without english subtitles. I almost dropped this series then, the only reason I didn't is because I haven't watched Fluke in a while and I really wanted to stay for him. The second episodes is a little better cause it introduces the actual plot of the series, and some higher actions happen, but still, lots of unnecessary characters and a whole bunch of irrelevant conversations. Then you get to episodes 3 which starts my journey of watching with no subtitles, so now I'm bored and confused. I skimmed through the last four episodes; nothing looked appealing or worth watching except a couple of decent kisses and an NC scene from the leads. all in all, save your time, watch something else. I doubt my review would've been much different even if I understood what they were saying.

Ratings:

Story: 4/10: Judo and Fluke look nice together, and from the little bit of the story I got, it wasn't terrible, but not good either.

Acting: 8/10: best aspect about the series. Fluke acts comedic instead of sad for once, so that was nice to see.

Music: 6/10: didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 1/10 - Watch literally anything else.

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Adorable

Had this series on my watch list and finally got around to watching it, and I'm glad I did! It's been a minute since I've watched a Korean BL, and this has just hyped up my want to dip back into them. A Breeze of Love was an incredibly short but incredibly delightful little series.

Let's Dive In.

This series was only 8 episodes about 20 or fewer minutes long. It is about a guy who has chronic insomnia who happens to be able to fall asleep around another guy and they fall in love. Great creative concept, and it leaves you intrigued to see how the series will turn out. While this was short, this was the perfect length for me. It was a quick watch, took me less than half the day to finish, and I really enjoyed it.

The plot doesn't stray away at all from the leads which is why you're constantly enthralled with the story. I'm mostly so in love with the leads' connection because I'm a sucker for first love and going through all the little things about liking someone and finally executing those feelings. So I loved their flashbacks to them in high school when they first met and started liking each other. Their relationship as adults feels very authentic and I really liked watching their plot unfold.

You can't not fall head over heels for the actors, specifically Jeongyou who I was only slightly offended never took his shirt off. The only nit-picky thing I have about this was when they were playing basketball and traveling like idiots. Overall though, this was an adorable series, albeit not going to be very memorable after a while, but it's worth the watch.

Rating:

Story: 7/10 - the insomnia storyline is super fun and creative. The leads do chemistry pretty well and their kisses looked natural and organic so I'm not mad. Would love to see whatever was going on between Dohyun's best friend and the guy's-face-we-never-see (season 2 perhaps??). Still a pretty simplistic plot, but it's good!

Acting: 8.5/10 - Jihan did the best out of everyone with his very staller performance. Everyone else did well, but the acting is just okay in this, nothing jaw-dropping.

Music: 7/10 - really liked the OST! For once paid attention to it and wasn't disappointed.

Recommendation Value: 8/10 - It's too short and too cute not to try and at least give it a watch. Dongwook is also wet a good majority of the time if that helps any.

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How Beautifully Sad

I decided not to read the synopsis when going into this one, and oh boy, was I in for a ride. What I thought looked like a really cute love story ended up being somewhat of a tragic yet heartfelt series.

Let's Dive In.

Koki is this sad guy who is depressed and wants to die until that day comes and instead of dying he meets an angel who in his past life committed suicide. This angel can make a miserable human see the good in life while subsequently making him go through grief and despair.

I think the last two episodes are the best out of all of them. While incredibly sad to see Angel's story, I felt like I was so intrigued the entire time, and everything that happened I didn't see coming a mile away. The last episode is so tragic yet in a while so magnificent to see how Koki was from the beginning to the end, smiling, seizing the day, even wearing white. I'm assuming the ending is for us to imagine, but in reality, I'd like to think that Koki is able to move on happily and find someone else (human perhaps). If anything, that's what I was hoping for in the end was that we'd see him move on and happy again.

If you think closely, it's sad to imagine a guy walking around talking and eating by himself which is why he and Angel just would've never worked out. Honestly, had the ending been one of those, "We end up happily ever after" I would've given this a lower rating, cause it's unrealistic (so is the guardian angel thing but still).

Koki and Angel's relationship was beautiful without having to be physical, and I loved that. Some moments felt very oddly sensual (like Koki rubbing his entire face into Angel's wing), but that added so much flavor to the chemistry of the characters. They had a great connection, but honestly, their relationship was mediocre. It wasn't fantastic, it wasn't terrible, just okay. I'm shallow and would've loved a kiss, but again, I loved their relationship without one, so I'm not that upset.

My only argument is that we don't see Koki fix his relationship with his brother, which would've been nice to see. Also, it's weird to me that an angel who can't be seen by others is able to carry things and eat. So would the object just float? Would they magically disappear? Was there a mist that made it look like Koki was carrying and eating all these things?

Ratings:

Story: 8.5/10: I think it was beautiful. Some parts dragged just a tinsy bit, but for the most part, I was very entertained by what we got.

Acting: 9/10: Shuhei (Koki) did an excellent job! Takuya (Angel) also played his part nicely, except in some scenes, his expression was a little stale. That might've been a directive choice instead of the actor's.

Music: 6/10: Didn't pay attention to it and it wasn't distracting so good.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10: I highly recommend this cause it was a quick watch and a good one at that, but it's also pretty sad and somewhat of an energy-drainer. There's also something so un-BL about it, like yes they happened to be two dudes, but this story truly revolves around a man attempting to find his way through an incredibly sorrowful world.

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